The Cuban regime organized a "reaffirmation" event this Monday in front of the rooster of Morón, in Ciego de Ávila, following the massive protest by its residents last Friday.
“To prevent the truth from being distorted, and to reaffirm the unwavering decision of the people of Morón to defend this land, a broad representation of Moronenses gathers at the monument of the fighting rooster that symbolizes the city and its people,” reads a post from the state-run newspaper Invasor.
Videos sent to the editorial team of Cibercuba by some of the attendees at the event provide an account of the speeches delivered, where, in the usual passive-aggressive tone of the regime's propaganda, praises for the police for not firing are intermingled with threats that the protest could have been quelled in five minutes, with references to Iran and Palestine.
The event is part of the regime's damage control following the most intense day of protests in Cuba in recent months that took place last Friday. A massive demonstration took to the streets of Morón.
Numerous videos on social media show groups of neighbors walking through the streets, chanting slogans against the government and banging pots and pans.
During the demonstrations, clashes also occurred in front of the municipal headquarters of the Party, where a fire was reported in the street and damage was caused to the building.
One of the most shocking moments of the protest was captured in a video widely circulated on the internet, which shows the moment a young man was injured after a gunshot was heard while he was near the PCC building.
In the images, the boy falls to the ground and is assisted by several protesters, who carry him and transport him on a motorcycle to take him to a hospital.
Although various reports on social media claim that the young man was shot by a police officer —with some even suggesting he might be a minor— official media have denied that shots were fired at protesters and maintain that the young man was injured in a fall.
The official narrative has also attempted to portray the events as isolated disturbances led by a small group of individuals manipulated from the outside, with state media reporting that five people have been arrested.
The ruling Miguel Díaz-Canel said this Saturday that the demands are legitimate as long as they are made with "civility" following the protest in Morón early in the morning.
"The discomfort caused in our people by the prolonged blackouts is understandable, as a consequence of the energy blockade by the U.S., which has cruelly intensified in recent months," the leader wrote on X, attributing the situation in Cuba to the U.S., as is common in the regime's propaganda.
"The complaints and claims are legitimate, as long as they are made with civility and respect for public order. What will never be understandable, justified, or accepted is the violence and vandalism that threaten public tranquility and the safety of our institutions," he added.
Díaz-Canel concluded with this threat to the protesters: "There will be no impunity for vandalism and violence."
Cuba is experiencing more than 8 days of ongoing protests against the regime, with cries and signs of "Freedom" and "Down with communism."
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